Mining on The Moon, A City For Gravenhurst

SAVING MANKIND OR EXPLOITING A RESOURCE - MINING THE MOON - WHY THE HELL NOT

MUSKOKA AS WALDEN

IT IS A DULL BUT MODERATE WINTER MORNING. IT IS FREE OF FRIGHTENING COLD. THERE ISN'T A BLIZZARD RAGING. NOTHING INCLEMENT ABOUT IT. AND I COULD SIT HERE FOR HOURS, ROMANTICIZING ABOUT ITS SUBTLE PLEASURES. DESPITE THE DULLNESS, THE LACK OF ANYTHING EXCITING HAPPENING WEATHERWISE, I CAN CONTENT MYSELF, BY JUST WATCHING THE BIRDS IN THE LILAC BRANCHES, AND THE MANY SQUIRRELS RUNNING ACROSS THE SNOW OVER IN THE BOG. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SCENE REGARDLESS OF THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE MORNING, OR THE FACT IT DOESN'T HAVE A STORM-FRONT MOVING ACROSS…..JUST TO TANTALIZE THE WRITER IN RESIDENCE. I FIND SOLITUDE A RATHER ENDEARING QUALITY THESE DAYS…..A RARITY IN FACT. FINDING A TIME HERE THAT ISN'T FULL OF URBAN SOUNDS AND INTRUSIONS. BEFORE THIS MORNING IS OVER, I WILL HEAR THE ECHO OF A CHAINSAW. THERE WILL BE SOME HEAVY EQUIPMENT RUMBLE DOWN THE LANE. A SNOW REMOVAL PROJECT THAT WILL VIBRATE THIS HOUSE…..WHICH IS BUILT ON A PAD BY THE WAY.

IT IS A NOISEY LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD, EVEN WITH THE ACREAGE OF THE BOG, MUFFLING SOME OF THE URBAN-INSPIRED DIN. WHAT I HAVE DESCRIBED ABOVE IS SUCH A TRIVIAL EXAMPLE OF MINOR INTRUSION….., WELL, IT'S MOOT, I KNOW…..TO EVEN MENTION IT TODAY. CONSIDERING THAT SOMEWHERE THIS SAME MORNING, OTHER RESIDENTS OF URBAN AREAS ARE BEING BOMBARDED WITH PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES, AND EXCAVATIONS OF THE "MORE IS BETTER" GANG. OF COURSE I'M LUCKY HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW. IT IS MY MORTAL FAILING, I'M AFRAID, THAT I SIMPLY COULDN'T WORK IN A CONDOMINIUM, OR A TENTH FLOOR OFFICE, OR LOOKING OUT OVER TARMAC AND RESIDENCES STRETCHING TO THE HORIZON. NOT AFTER THESE YEARS OF WATCHING OVER THIS URBAN WILD, AND BEING INSPIRED BY THE GRACES OF NATURE…..NOT THE HALLMARKS OF SPRAWLING DEVELOPMENT.

THIS MORNING, I LEARNED SOMETHING ABOUT THE MOON, I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE. APPARENTLY, WE HAVE SCREWED UP EARTH'S RESOURCES SO BADLY, AND EXHAUSTED WHAT SHOULD HAVE LASTED ANOTHER COUPLE OF CENTURIES, OR LONGER, THAT WE ARE NOW GOING SCREW UP THE MOON AS WELL. MINING ON THE MOON. TO ME IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT COUNTRY DESIRES THIS….IT'S CERTAINLY TIME WE LOOKED AT OURSELVES AS OVER-CONSUMING, GREEDY, NON-STEWARDS, AND MADE SOME LIFE-SAVING ATTITUDE CHANGES…….TO CONTROL OUR USE OF THE RESOURCES WE DO POSSESS……ON OUR OWN PLANET. THINK OF IT. THE MESS WE'VE MADE OF EARTH, WE INTEND TO DO THE SAME TO ANOTHER…..CAUSE IT'S THERE……AND CAUSE WE WANT IT. WELL THEN, THAT'S ALL THE REASON TO GOUGE IT INTO A SLIVER MOON, SO WE CAN HAVE MORE ADVANTAGES ON EARTH.

IF EVER I HAVE EXPERIENCED A STARK, HONEST ADMISSION, CIVILIZATION IS IN GREAT PERIL, IT'S HEARING SOMETHING LIKE THIS ON THE MORNING NEWS. WELL SIR, I KNOW HOW TOUGH IT WAS TO SAVE THE BOG, FROM A MUNICIPAL, SEEK AND DESTROY PLAN, TO BULLDOZE THE WETLAND INTO RESIDENTIAL LOTS, SO IMAGINE THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE MOON. HOW ABOUT WORLD PEACE……RELIGIOUS TOLERATION……ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION……RESOURCE STABILITY……..REDUCED POPULATION GROWTH, BEFORE WE TAKE OUR WARS, RELIGIOUS STRIFE, CAPABILITY TO POLLUTE AND KILL EVERYTHING ON EARTH, TO THE MOON. LEARNING HOW NOT TO WASTE RESOURCES ON STUPID PROJECTS, AND CONTINUE TO OVER-POPULATE THE WORLD, UNTIL WE HAVE TO BUNDLE THE SURPLUS OFF TO THE MOON. "TO THE MOON ALICE," SAID RALPH CRAMDEN TO HIS WIFE, "TO THE MOON."

THE WAY OUR SUPER POWERS ARE TALKING TODAY, AND THE AMBITIONS OF COUNTRIES TO BUILD-BACK NUCLEAR WEAPONS, AND THE POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS STRIFE RAGING UNCONTROLLED, IN THE WORLD, I THINK I'D LIKE TO GO TO THE MOON AS WELL. NOT TO MINE ANYTHING EXCEPT REST AND RECREATION. TO ESCAPE FROM THE MADNESS OF "GOT TO HAVE," "MUST POSSESS," "MUST BE BIGGER, STRONGER, BETTER ARMED." THE SHOWDOWN FOR THE CANADIAN NORTH. IT'S COMING. IF ONE SHOULD BELIEVE, EVEN A PORTION OF THE LATEST COMMENTS FROM RUSSIA, WELL, I THINK WE HAVE, IN A WEE BLINK OF TIME, FALLEN BACK TO THE 1950'S TO REPEAT AGAIN…….WHAT WAS SO PRECARIOUS BETWEEN OUR CONTINENTS……. AS FAR AS NUCLEAR ARMS AND BAD ATTITUDE. SO THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE MISSILE SILOS ON THE MOON. THE MOON WILL HIT YOUR EYE…..NOT LIKE A PIZZA PIE.

THERE ARE TIMES HERE, AT BIRCH HOLLOW, LIKE THE SCENE WITH PETER FINCH, IN THE MOVIE "NETWORK," THAT YOU WANT TO TOSS THE NEWS OF THE DAY, OUT THE WINDOW, WHILE YELLING FOR THE BENEFIT OF COMPLACENT NEIGHBORS….."I'M MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE." (I THINK THIS IS THE LINE FINCH BELOWS FROM AN OFFICE BUILDING WINDOW). I KNOW THAT ONE DAY, A DEVELOPER WILL ARRIVE IN MUSKOKA, WHO WILL HAVE A PLAN FOR THIS LOWLAND, AND WILL BE WILLING TO SPEND LOTS OF MONEY TO CONVINCE TOWN IT SHOULD SELL-OFF THIS IMPORTANT URBAN OPEN SPACE. THE DEVELOPER WILL HAVE A PLAN, YOU SEE, FOR RUNNING OFF THE WATER THROUGH A CONNECTED SERIES OF CULVERTS, AND MAKE SOME PROPOSAL TO HELP MECHANICALLY FILTER THE WATER BEFORE IT HITS MUSKOKA BAY. SOME COUNCIL DOWN THE ROAD A DECADE OR TWO, WON'T SEE THINGS AS THE PRESENT COUNCIL, AND WITH MORE OF THE SOUTHERN ONTARIO POPULATION, OPTING TO LIVE FURTHER NORTH TO DO THEIR BUSINESS, THE STRESSES ON THIS LITTLE BURG WILL BE ENORMOUS. IT IS COMING. NO MATTER HOW FIRM WE THINK WE ARE, AND HAVE ENTRENCHED IN RESPECTIVE OFFICIAL PLANS, THE REALITY IS…….IF THEY CAN MINE THE MOON, THEY CAN INFILL A BOG, AND BUILT CONDOS ON TOP. IT'S DONE ALL OVER THE WORLD EVERY YEAR.

WHILE THE PRESENT STATE OF THE ECONOMY ISN'T ALL THAT POSITIVE, AS WE COMPLAIN ABOUT LOCALLY, THAT IS JUST SOMETHING FOR THE MEMORY BOOK. THERE ARE SOME LOCAL ECONOMIC KNOW-IT-ALLS, WHO MIGHT HAVE YOU BELIEVE GRAVENHURST IS ONE CRISIS AWAY FROM REPOSSESSION, AND COMPLETE CLOSURE AS A COMMUNITY. I HAVE BEEN SHOCKED, AT TIMES, TO HEAR THE DOOM AND GLOOM PREDICTIONS….SUCH THAT WE MIGHT WISH TO ABANDON THE SHIP ENTIRELY. EVEN THE MOON IS LOOKING LIKE A BETTER PLACE TO BE THESE DAYS. THE TRUTH IS, AS LONG AS TORONTO, BARRIE AND ORILLIA CONTINUE TO EXPAND, AND GAIN POPULATION, THE NEXT TOWN, IN THE PARADISE OF SOUTH MUSKOKA, IS GOING TO BE THE RECIPIENT, GOOD OR BAD, OF INTENSE DEVELOPMENT SCRUTINY. IT MAY TAKE TEN OR TWENTY YEARS, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT NOW. WHILE THE TOWN AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE CHANGES PROPOSED FOR THE HIGHWAY 11 CORRIDOR SOUTH OF THE GRAVENHURST URBAN AREA, THE REALITY IS……THE PROVINCE, ACCORDING TO THEIR STUDIES, AND TRACKING OF TRENDS, APPRECIATE FULLY, JUST HOW MUCH TRAFFIC IS GOING TO REACH OUR AREA IN THE NEXT 25 YEARS. WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS AND CONVENIENCE OF AIR COMMUTING, NEW HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION, RAIL LINK, AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, GRAVENHURST, AND MUSKOKA GENERALLY, ARE GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE URBAN INTRUSIONS. IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT WAY NOW…….BUT IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. WE NEED VISIONARIES ON FUTURE COUNCILS, WHO CAN PREPARE FOR THESE NEW INTERESTS IN URBANIZING THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE ON EARTH.

FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT THINK ME DERANGED…….I CAN TELL YOU, HONESTLY, THE BOG WOULD HAVE BEEN SOLD-OFF AND DEVELOPED, IF NOT FOR THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE TO CONSERVE IT. NOW TRY TO ESTIMATE HOW MUCH OTHER LAND, IN THE PAST DECADE, HAS BEEN GOBBLED UP BY URBAN SPRAWL IN THREE TOWNS. THE DEVELOPMENT COMING WON'T BE TO SERVE THE POPULATION OF THE DISTRICT AS IT NUMBERS TODAY. DEVELOPERS WILL BE LOOKING FOR THE NEW GROWTH OF POPULATION THAT WILL BE MIGRATING NORTH FROM HEAVILY POPULATED CENTRES IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO. FOR THOSE WHO SAY IN WON'T HAPPEN, BECAUSE WE HAVE REACHED THE SATURATION POINT FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROFITABILITY, THIS EXCLUDES GROWTH PATTERNS EXPECTED…….IN THE NORTH, AND THE HIGHWAY RE-DEVELOPMENT IS A CLEAR SIGN THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IS WELL AWARE WHAT THESE FUTURE STRESSES WILL MEAN…….AND THE OPPORTUNITIES AN IMPROVED HIGHWAY WILL MEAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF OUR REGION.

SOMETIMES WHEN WE ARGUE ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, AND FEEL HARD-DONE BY HERE IN MUSKOKA, WELL, THERE NEEDS TO BE A REALITY CHECK……IT'S ON THE VERGE OF GREAT CHANGE……AND JUST LIKE MINING ON THE MOON, WE'VE GOT SOME PLANNING TO DO FIRST.

I CAN TELL YOU HONESTLY, OUR FAMILY WOULD PROBABLY HAVE MOVED FROM GRAVENHURST, IF COUNCIL HADN'T BACKED DOWN FROM THEIR PLAN TO SELL OFF THIS WETLAND. IT WOULD HAVE PROVEN TO US THAT THEY WOULD BE RECKLESS ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE UNDER THEIR JURISDICTION. I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN PLEASANT AT ALL ABOUT THEIR INDISCRETIONS…….AND UNLESS SUZANNE RELENTED FROM A CEMENTED POLICY OF NEVER ALLOWING ME TO ENTER POLITICS, I'D HAVE TAKEN A SHOT AT MAYOR IN THE LAST MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

COMMON SENSE PREVAILED ON ALL SIDES. THE BOG WAS SPARED, AND SO WAS MY WIFE, FROM BEING ASSOCIATED WITH A POLITICIAN AND A WRITER IN THE SAME HOUSE.

AS FOR A MINING OPERATION ON THE MOON. A CITY BEING BUILT HERE, WHERE GRAVENHURST SITS SO HUMBLY, QUIETLY TODAY? I EXPECT IT WILL HAPPEN. I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE BEING HAPPY ABOUT IT.